Full-time Job + Part-time 1L, and more.

[Turtles]

I'll just throw in my $0.02. I've been working a full-time corporate (remote) job while doing 1L full-time. It's flexible enough to accomodate my law school schedule, and I enjoy logging on to coach my team / respond to emails / do drafting work to take my mind off the 17th century contract cases. When you've been doing certain things for a while, it can become second nature and not feel like work anymore. For me, there is a big benefit in being able to apply abstract academic concepts and class discussions to real world contracts and situations. It's also nice because it's allowed me to work directly with partners from a Bay Street firm (as the client) and to bounce legal issues and my ideas/work off of them during weekly calls. It's a heavy workload but I've found it to really help my learning and the salary will keep me out of law school debt despite no parental financial help. My company is aware I will need to depart if I get a good bay street role and they are fully supportive. It's also relaxing to know I have summer employment and articling opportunities within the company if the formal recruits were not to pan out. 

Obviously if you drop your school work to part-time there may be consequences for the formal recruits that others have raised. I can't comment on that. And I bet government would be less flexible around work hours/availability. But I think it's worth saying that working in 1L can be manageable and fruitful if everything lines up. I am lucky everything did.   

[RC51]

3 hours ago, Turtles said:

I'll just throw in my $0.02. I've been working a full-time corporate (remote) job while doing 1L full-time. It's flexible enough to accomodate my law school schedule, and I enjoy logging on to coach my team / respond to emails / do drafting work to take my mind off the 17th century contract cases. When you've been doing certain things for a while, it can become second nature and not feel like work anymore. For me, there is a big benefit in being able to apply abstract academic concepts and class discussions to real world contracts and situations. It's also nice because it's allowed me to work directly with partners from a Bay Street firm (as the client) and to bounce legal issues and my ideas/work off of them during weekly calls. It's a heavy workload but I've found it to really help my learning and the salary will keep me out of law school debt despite no parental financial help. My company is aware I will need to depart if I get a good bay street role and they are fully supportive. It's also relaxing to know I have summer employment and articling opportunities within the company if the formal recruits were not to pan out. 

Obviously if you drop your school work to part-time there may be consequences for the formal recruits that others have raised. I can't comment on that. And I bet government would be less flexible around work hours/availability. But I think it's worth saying that working in 1L can be manageable and fruitful if everything lines up. I am lucky everything did.   

Thanks for your comment. I feel with WFH, most jobs have become more manageable. Without that commute, separation between work and private life, and more, it makes sneaking work in, school or professional so much easier. It sounds like you would not have been able to work full-time in pre-covid times, especially not leading a team. 

[Turtles]

11 hours ago, RC51 said:

Thanks for your comment. I feel with WFH, most jobs have become more manageable. Without that commute, separation between work and private life, and more, it makes sneaking work in, school or professional so much easier. It sounds like you would not have been able to work full-time in pre-covid times, especially not leading a team. 

I actually chose my company pre-COVID because they were super flexible, allowing WFH (as much or as little as one wants) and adjustable work hours to accommodate life / childcare obligations / etc. It just makes life so much easier and the transition for everyone to 100% remote during COVID was seamless. But you're right I wouldn't be able to keep up at work full-time if school was in person, the flexibility of Zoom eliminates the commute to school and recorded lectures make it easier to attend team/client meetings and catch up on class after, if need be (e.g., when things get rescheduled, limited availability of client, or extra lectures/meetings come up, which happens). If I moved right on campus it might still be doable.

I hated the rigidity of government life, so I feel your pain. Getting to the private sector for the added flexibility, pay/benefits, and not having pay cheques mysteriously withheld by Phoenix have been real blessings. 

One lesson I will share, at least for my 1L at Osgoode, is that profs will either spread out work throughout the semester or expect you to keep up at your own pace and then drop a 100% exam. The latter is easier to fit into your work routine because you can keep up on readings (especially on weekends) and take a little more time to yourself before exams to do an exhaustive prep. Mid-semester assignments can be disruptive to the routine because of your limited free time during the week. I didn't get a say but lucked out that most of my courses were the latter.